Sergio Garcia and wife Angela named their infant daughter Azalea, after the 13th hole at Augusta National, where he made a career-changing par en route to his dramatic Masters victory in a sudden-death playoff in 2017. Now, that same hole, one of golf’s greatest risk-reward decisions, is at the centre of golf’s referendum on the distance debate.

Once the questions to Phil Mickelson about his long-sleeve, business attire golf shirt and practice-round pairing with Tiger Woods were handled on Tuesday, the three-time Masters champion, making his 23rd start in the season’s first major, was asked whether this was the most anticipated Masters — maybe ever.

Rickie Fowler made light of the longest course in major championship history to produce a record-equalling start to the US Open on Thursday.

Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the US Open after good weather ended his slim chances of making a last-minute dash to Erin Hills.

Already the smallest field among majors, the Masters is shrinking the field for the Par 3 Contest.

There have been many high points in this year’s professional golfing calendar, yet all were somewhat predictable. 

Do you remember these Ryder Cup moments?

It was at the 2002 Ryder Cup at The Belfry when American players mingled outside the team bus.

From the outside Paul McGinley and Ian Poulter may not look to have too much in common, but on one subject they are happy to agree. If their respective careers end up being defined by the Ryder Cup, then so be it.

There was a time when it was fair to question whether American golfers even owned passports. So spoiled, so comfortable, so insular in their PGA Tour world were they that their travels outside the home fence were few and far between.

Both Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington insist it would be foolish to write off Tiger Woods’ chances of capturing a 15th Major Championship at next week’s British Open at Royal Liverpool.

Justin Rose kept his hopes of becoming the first man for 25 years to win back-to-back US Open titles alive with a battling first round at Pinehurst.

Justin Rose discovered just why it has been 25 years since anyone won back-to-back US Open titles on Thursday, despite Pinehurst playing easier than expected for the early starters.

Jason Dufner took a two-shot lead into the third round of the US PGA Championship, but all the talk at Oak Hill was about the only bad shot he hit yesterday.

Graeme McDowell is relishing next week’s visit to Oak Hills and the PGA Championship.

Tiger Woods expects to face a confident Rory McIlroy when he bids to edge closer to Jack Nicklaus’s record and challenge for a fourth US Open and 15th Major title at the Olympic Club this week.

Rory McIlroy made winning the US Open last year look pretty easy but the defending champion knows this year’s championship course will not be set up with a view to further record breaking.

Rory McIlroy is expecting a far stiffer test when he defends the US Open in six weeks' time - but not because he knocked four shots off the championship record last year.

IT MAY have come a little later than expected butwhen Rory McIlroy’s maiden major victory came in the US Open at Congressional Country Club last night it was all the sweeter for the deep disappointment of 10 weeks ago.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE is tipping Lee Westwood to win The Masters next April and with it complete an historic European Tour slam of the majors.

The Irish have an uncanny knack of playing pivotal roles in European success at the biennial spectacular, says Simon Lewis

An upset Rory McIlroy was given something to smile about at Celtic Manor today - team-mates and caddies wearing wigs that resembled his very distinctive curly hair.

Corey Pavin would be glued to a clash between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup this week – but he has no wish to pre-arrange it with Colin Montgomerie.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has hailed Graeme McDowell’s mental toughness as he brought to an end a European drought at the United States Open that stretched all the way back to Tony Jacklin in 1970.

TIGER WOODS did his talking in the interview room on Monday. Now it’s time to make the clubs sing.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON must have felt it was Ground-hog Day, as for the second year in succession he completed his Masters warm-up with a bitterly disappointing final round at the Shell Houston Open.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL might be the only golfer who has ever caused government business to be halted.

IT is a good thing for American golf that Paul Azinger likes to settle in for an evening in front of his flat panel television and watch documentaries on military strategy.

THE Ryder Cup returned to American hands in Muhammad Ali’s home town as Nick Faldo’s plan to “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” went up in smoke.

Nick Faldo sat and listened to his players defending his actions on Sunday night as European dreams of a fourth successive Ryder Cup victory lay in tatters.

The Ryder Cup returned to American hands in Muhammad Ali’s home town today as Nick Faldo’s plan to “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” went up in smoke.

Irish golf star Padraig Harrington asked Europe's Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo to go last in today's singles matches, Faldo has revealed.

Nick Faldo has made one final gamble in the Ryder Cup - putting British Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington out last in the singles.

Padraig Harrington has been named the European Tour Golfer of the Month for July following the successful defence of his Open Championship title at Royal Birkdale.

THREE words uttered by American Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger – “I want winners” – have already had the desired effect.

IT’S becoming increasingly difficult to leave the word “choke” out of the sporting lexicon these days.

Paul Azinger has been named as the USA’s Ryder Cup captain for the 2008 event at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky.

Some time soon the Professional Golfers’ Association of America will call a press conference to name their new Ryder Cup captain – the man to oppose Nick Faldo’s Europe in 2008.

Tom Lehman today named Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank as his two wild cards for the Ryder Cup.

Michael Campbell is considered a 100/1 shot to retain his US Open title this week – and the New Zealander could not be more pleased.

Gil Morgan fired a five-under-par 66 to lead by a shot rom Peter Jacobsen after the opening round of the Senior PGA Championship, the first Major of the year on the Champions Tour.

EVERYBODY has heard of Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, even Hank Haney.